Lycium plant named ‘FPW03’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Lycium barbarum  cultivar named ‘FPW03’ is disclosed, characterized by a controlled growth habit, better suited for home gardens. The new variety bears fruit in the Spring and again in late Summer to early Fall. Fruits are larger and less astringent in taste than known Goji berry varieties. The new variety is suitable for home garden purposes.

Latin name of the genus and species: Lycium barbarum.

Variety denomination: ‘FPW03’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted at a research nursery in Anjou, France. Seed was bulk collected from various Lycium barbarum varieties produced by open-pollination and grown out for testing. The exact parent varieties cannot be identified. The open-pollination resulting in ‘FPW03’ was made during 2013.

Plants of the new variety were first selected during 2015. Fruit of the new variety was evaluated with favorable results and plants were found to have a more controlled habit. First asexual propagation occurred at a research nursery in Anjou, France using dormant hardwood cuttings. Subsequent evaluations of the variety have shown the characteristics to be true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘FPW03’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘FPW03’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘FPW03’ as a new and distinct Lycium barbarum cultivar:

-   -   1. Red to dark orange fruit color.     -   2. Purple flowers.     -   3. Large fruit.     -   4. Dark green foliage.     -   5. More controlled plant habit, with moderate rather than rapid         growth.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

The new variety can be compared to the commercial variety Lycium barbarum ‘Big’. The cultivars are similar in most horticultural characteristics, however the new variety differs in the following:

-   -   1. New variety bears larger fruit than that of this comparator.     -   2. New variety has darker green leaves than this comparator.

The new variety can be compared to the commercial variety Lycium barbarum ‘FPW07’, co-pending having application Ser. No. 15/932,142. The cultivars are similar in most horticultural characteristics, however the new variety differs in the following:

-   -   1. New variety bears larger fruit than that of this comparator.     -   2. New variety produces less fruit than this comparator.     -   3. The new variety is more compact plant form than this         comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color examples of typical flower and fruits of ‘FPW03’, while on the plant, as well as typical foliage.

FIG. 2 illustrates fruit harvested from ‘FPW03’. Age of the plant from which foliage, fruits and flowers were obtained is approximately 3 years.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2007 except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘FPW03’ plants grown outdoors in Camarillo, Calif. The growing temperature ranged from about 15° C. to 33° C. during the day and 5° C. to 15° C. at night. Measurements and numerical values represent an average of typical plant types, measurements of foliage taken from mid June to mid August. Fruit was measured in April and again in August.

-   Botanical classification: Lycium barbarum ‘FPW03’. -   Propagation: Typical propagation is by fresh softwood cuttings in     Spring. Hardwood cuttings can be rooted as well, with a lower     success rate. -   Rooting habit: Woody to semi-woody. Moderately well branched,     colored near Brown 200B. -   Plant: -   Age of the plant described: About 1.5 years from a rooted plantlet. -   Average height: About 2 meters. -   Average width: About 1 to 1.5 meters. -   Vigor: Moderate. -   Young shoot color: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144B. -   Young shoot texture: Glabrous, with a few striations. -   Mature branch color: Greyed-Green 195B. -   Mature branch/shoot diameter: Average 5 to 7 mm. -   Mature branch/shoot length: 1 to 2 meters, depending upon pruning. -   Mature branch/shoot texture: Glabrous, some ridges, very slightly     glaucous. Thorns. -   Thorn description:     -   -   Length.—Broad range, 5 to 40 mm.         -   Width at base.—2 mm.         -   Shape.—Needlelike. -   Density: Spaced about 1.5 to 2.0 cm apart on stem. -   Foliage: -   Leaf:     -   -   Average length.—5 to 8 cm.         -   Average width.—1.0 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Tapered.         -   Attachment.—Sessile or reduced petiole.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture of top surface.—Glabrous.         -   Texture of under side.—Glabrous.         -   Color.—Mature foliage upper side: N137A. Mature foliage             under side: N137B.         -   Petiole.—Length: 2 to 4 mm. Diameter: 3 mm. Texture:             Glabrous. Color: Near Yellow-Green 144C. -   Flower:     -   -   Bud color.—Purple 77A to 77B and Yellow-White 158B.         -   Bud shape.—Oval.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Length.—About 8 mm.         -   Petal quantity.—5 per flower.         -   Petals overlapping.—Slightly.         -   Petals.—Length: 9 mm. Width: 4 mm. Shape: Deltate. Aspect:             Curved backward. Margin: Entire. Texture: Glabrous all             surfaces. Base: Fused. Apex: Acute.         -   Petals color.—Upper Surface: Purple 77A, margin near 76D.             Lower Surface: Near Purple 75D.         -   Sepals.—Number of Sepals: 5, fused. Color of Sepals: Green             138C. Sepal Width: 3 mm. Sepal Length: 5 mm. Sepal Texture:             Glabrous. Sepal shape: Deltate, fused over 50%. Sepal             Margin: Entire. Sepal Apex: Acute. Sepal Base: Fused. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—2 to 5 cm.         -   Diameter.—2 mm.         -   Color.—Near Yellow-Green 144D.         -   Texture.—Glabrous. -   Fruit:     -   -   Average length.—2.3 cm.         -   Average diameter.—1.3 cm.         -   Color.—Near Orange-Red N34B.         -   General shape.—Elongated oval.         -   Average weight.—0.8 grams to 1.5 grams.         -   Firmness.—Soft.         -   Flavor profile.—Low astringent, semi-sweet.         -   Fragrance.—Faint fresh/sweet scent.         -   Seeds.—Average 20 to 30, flat, less than 1 mm in diameter.             Colored near Yellow-White 158A.         -   Fruit peduncle length.—2 to 4.5 cm.         -   Fruit peduncle width.—2 mm.         -   Harvest time.—Spring and again in Late Summer to Early Fall             under California conditions. -   Other characteristics: -   Storage life: Storage life is about 2 to 3 weeks when stored at 2°     C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Powdery mildew resistant, assumed pathogen     is Arthrocladiella. -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerates low temperatures to approximately     −5° C. without negative effects, tolerates high temperatures to     approximately 35° C. without negative effects. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lycium barbarum plant named ‘FPW03’ as herein illustrated and described. 